India and the Philippines on Thursday urged China to adhere by a 2016 legally binding decision that vehemently rejected China’s sweeping claims in its dispute with the Southeast Asian nation over South China Sea (SCS) waters, reinforcing the need for a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific.

In a joint statement, foreign minister S. Jaishankar and his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo, who jointly presided over a meeting on bilateral cooperation, emphasised the importance of peaceful dispute resolution and the observance of international law, particularly the UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award on the SCS in this context.

Even while India has consistently supported UNCLOS, the treaty that established the Arbitral Tribunal, without reservation, the joint statement is significant because it marks the first time India has explicitly urged China to uphold the judgement that Beijing continues to claim is void. It follows a worsening trend in bilateral relations with China brought on by the 2020 eastern Ladakh standoff, which has not yet been entirely resolved.

India’s initial response to the judgement in July 2016 was more reserved as it encouraged all parties to uphold the UNCLOS, which, according to the government, established the global legal order of the seas and oceans.

The panel upheld the Philippines’ lawsuit against China and ruled that Beijing’s reclamation efforts in Philippine waters and its nine-dash line, which asserts authority over 90% of SCS waters, are illegal.

Jaishankar and Manalo held extensive and in-depth discussions on regional and global issues of mutual concern, according to a joint statement released after the fifth joint commission meeting between the two nations. They also agreed that they both shared an interest in a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. They spoke about a variety of topics, including defence, maritime security, and counterterrorism, Jaishankar noted in a tweet.

Significantly, the G7 supported the 2016 prize at their most recent meeting in Hiroshima this year, calling it as a useful foundation for amicably settling disagreements between the two nations. China has responded by requesting that the G7 refrain from exploiting maritime concerns to ”incite bloc hostility” and push a wedge between regional nations.

Japan, a member of India’s Quad and a party to a similar dispute involving the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea, has consistently urged Beijing to follow the verdict because failure to do so would violate the idea of peacefully resolving disputes in accordance with international law. Tokyo has also praised the Philippines for adhering to the tribunal’s rules completely. At the most recent India-US summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden discussed threats to the region’s coercive practises as well as challenges to the maritime rules-based order in the East and South China Seas.

With the Philippines taking into consideration India’s offer of a concessional Line of Credit to satisfy its needs, both countries are eager to advance their defence cooperation.

They agreed to continue working together in the United Nations and other multilateral organisations, particularly on issues like climate change, sustainable development, and counterterrorism, according to the joint statement. “They expressed satisfaction at ongoing cooperation between the two countries in Asean and at multilateral forums.